Tuesday, September 11, 2007

LSU 1011: Syllabus

COURSE OBJECTIVE: The goal of 1011 is to familiarize students with the fundamentals of 2-D design. We will examine design elements such as form, line, value, color, space, etc. by doing a series of projects that correspond to the Art Fundamentals textbook. Readings of this book will aid students in thinking and talking about art while the projects will help put this knowledge to work.

REQUIREMENTS: As the class will focus largely on a series of involved projects, active student participation will be a key requirement. In order to create successful projects, students will need to fully understand project instructions and demonstrations. Moreover, students participation is essential to understanding concepts and terminology covered in the book and revisited in class discussions and critiques. Thus, students will be expected to be prompt and present in order to be fully involved in the class.

GRADING: Grading will be based on two elements: projects and class participation. The projects will make up the bulk of final grades and will be based on a 10 point scale:

A: 90 - 100% B: 80 - 89% C: 70 - 79% D: 60 - 69% F: 0 - 59%

Projects will be graded based on four main elements:

1. INSTRUCTIONS: how well the student performed within in the guidelines of the project / the degree to which the piece expresses the project’s specific formal concerns. 2. QUALITY: the degree to which the project expresses a sense of craft, indicated through attention to detail, a sense of neatness, and a mastery of the materials. 3. FORM: how well the project expresses a growing understanding of the formal concerns covered in the book and in class. As the class proceeds, overall form should improve. 4. INVENTION: the degree to which the work exceeds the most fundamental requirements of the project through creative initiative.

Class participation grades will be based on a series of slide quizzes that occur throughout the semester in conjunction with readings, as well as on general class activity: attendance, promptness, focus, active participation during critiques, etc.At midterm, your participation grade will count as one project which will be averaged together with your other (2 or 3) projects to give you your grade. At the end of the semester the same process will occur, then your midterm and end of semester grades will be averaged together into your final grade.

WE WILL DISCUSS THE PURCHASE OF OTHER MATERIALS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS AS WE PROCEED.

SCHEDULE: I do not define a rigid, dated schedule at the beginning of the semester because these schedules invariably change and are therefore not particularly valuable. However, I will describe the general pattern of activity that will occur throughout the semester:

1. We simultaneously begin a new project and read one or two chapters in the book that relate to the project. 2. After the assigned reading, we will take a slide quiz based on the vocabulary terms used throughout the chapter.3. We will have class lectures and discussions regarding the material covered and continue working on the project in and out of class.4. As the project deadline approaches we will have some class periods designated entirely to project work.5. The project will likely be finished outside of class and we will hold a class critique on the project deadline date.